How Much Are Hearing Aids and Will Your Insurance Cover Them?

Originally Published March 24, 2022

Hearing aids are more accessible than ever before. The price of hearing aids is a common question and a necessary discussion to have with patients. There are many different factors that determine the cost of hearing aids. The price of a hearing aid depends on your specific listening needs. Your audiologist will help you determine what hearing aid technology best suites your lifestyle. Hearing aids are categorized from basic to premium. They can range in pricing from approximately three to seven thousand dollars for a pair.

What affects the cost of hearing aids?

The biggest variable that affects pricing includes how advanced the technology is inside of the hearing aids and your service plan with us. Technology like background noise reduction, artificial intelligence, automatic adjusting to environments, wind noise reduction, and wireless capabilities can drive up the total cost.

If you have a hearing aid with lower quality technology, then you’ll notice you will have a harder time hearing in background noise but, if you do not prioritize hearing in background noise then a basic level hearing aid will suffice for you. If background noise is important to you then it is important to remember that the cost of basic level hearing aids might have been lower, but the hearing aid won’t help you as much as a hearing aid with more sophisticated hearing technology.  

Any hearing aid is, however, better than no hearing aid as wearing a hearing aid full time will help keep your auditory nerves stimulated.

Are My Hearing Aids Covered By Health Insurance?

Whether your hearing aids are covered under insurance depends on each individual plan.

As the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) explains, Medicare doesn’t cover hearing aids. But Medicaid does cover hearing aids for children and sometimes for adults as well.

ASHA goes on to say,

“Some private health care plans pay for hearing tests and hearing aid evaluations. They may pay for part or all of your hearing aids. Check with your insurance company to find out for sure. Your benefits manager at work may know what coverage you have.”

If your health insurance does cover hearing aids, then that’s one less thing you have to worry about.

But focusing on cost alone may not be the best strategy when it comes to choosing the perfect hearing aid for your needs. 

Why Hearing Aid Cost Isn’t The “Right” Question To Ask

Done correctly, hearing aids can dramatically improve your quality of life by providing sufficient amplification for better listening and communication.

Many are starting to wonder about over-the-counter (OTC) and Costco hearing aids as they are far less expensive, but it is crucial to remember how essential the proper hearing aid brand, technology selection and sizing are. With OTC access, very few wearers receive the guidance required to ensure satisfaction with hearing aids and verification of frequency specific amplification for each individuals hearing loss.  

Hearing loss doesn’t always originate in the ear. In fact, the most common type starts in the brain. And even with mild cases, your brain can change over time - slowly losing its ability to clearly capture signals and correctly process sound.

This is why we use a more holistic approach to hearing loss correction.

The Hearing Solution: Diagnosis And Treatment

Instead of focusing on cost – or on the hearing aids themselves – our treatment uses a more results-based approach. In other words, we ask ourselves what steps are necessary for optimal hearing.

More specifically, we try to determine:

• The root cause of your hearing loss?
• The best treatment solution for you?
  

1. What Is the Root Cause?

First, we run a series of diagnostic evaluations to measure your sound processing abilities. These tests help us determine the extent of your hearing loss - and what the root causes of your condition might be.

To ensure we receive the most accurate results, our diagnostic hearing tests are done in noisy settings that simulate real-world environments - like parties, restaurants, and other loud social occasions.

2. What Is the Best Solution?

Based on the results from our diagnostic evaluation, we then map out a comprehensive treatment plan.

If and when hearing aids are necessary, we help you choose the technology that is most effective in improving your hearing in noise. We call this method our functional hearing evaluation. 

The Hearing Solution: Hearing Aid Test Drive

You’ll be tested with different hearing aids from different manufacturers in background noise. The hearing aids that you perform the best with will be loaned to you for a ‘test drive’ in your own home and listening environments.

This unique approach can make all the difference in the world.

For example, many of our most successful patients are often those who sought low-priced hearing aid solutions from big box stores. But after going through our process, they are able to hear the difference for themselves.

So, in these situations, the cost becomes mostly irrelevant! And sometimes hearing aids aren’t even necessary at all, making cost truly irrelevant.

With auditory training and communication exercises, it’s possible to improve your brain’s sound processing capabilities. That’s why we recommend auditory training for all patients - whether they wear hearing aids or not. Call us at (916) 646-2471 to schedule your appointment to introduce you to the aural rehabilitation program, Amptify.

Hear The World – Like You’ve Never Heard It Before

If you’re suffering from hearing loss - even a mild case - let us know ASAP.

With our diagnostic testing and comprehensive treatment, our goal is to help you hear the world as you’ve never heard it before.

To learn more about our full range of hearing loss solutions, schedule an appointment with us today.